Technologies constantly develop, and keeping pace with more conservative areas can be challenging. Education also keeps transforming; online learning platforms and modern colleges with updated study courses result from this transformation. Furthermore, we need to consider the impact of social media on student academic performance and well-being because social media has been around for some time now and influences every area of our lives.
Social media can be a double-edged sword; it can help you by boosting your academic career or become a disastrous distraction that can destroy your productivity and performance. If you struggle with academic assignments, consider checking сustom assignment writing service from leading teachers from the USA and UK for expert assistance.
The Positive Aspects of Social Media
Social media allows students from different parts of the world to engage with one another despite physical distance. It is particularly helpful for people dealing with specific difficulties, as it allows for the exchange of information, stories, and support networks. Students’ mental health benefits from the sense of community and friendships they develop in online groups.
More than that, though, social media may be a great educational tool. Now, students can join communities for cooperative learning online; they can exchange educational lessons and information, advise each other, and share common knowledge. Everyone can go on Reddit or other similar platforms and ask questions about the most challenging and tricky assignments; you can be sure that someone will come and answer your questions with deep expertise.
Social media can help students thrive personally and academically. Educational communities encourage cooperation and the exchange of information, while platforms like LinkedIn facilitate networking and the investigation of potential careers. When utilized responsibly, social media has the potential to enrich students’ educational experiences and promote academic progress.
The Challenges of Social Media
The positive aspects of social media are overshadowed by the severe threats it poses to students’ psychological health. When people are constantly exposed to carefully selected and idealized portrayals of other people’s lives, they may start to feel inadequate and compare themselves to others.
Students also have valid concerns about cyberbullying and online harassment due to the ubiquitous nature of social media. A person’s mental health can take a severe hit when they take advantage of the anonymity offered by the internet to do dangerous behaviors.
Social media can also become the greatest distraction of your academic life. It can consume hours and hours of your precious time while you tediously scroll through your feed. Social media can help you develop severe procrastination or boost the existing one. You can get so carried away by communicating on social networks, watching videos, and scrolling your feed that you find yourself in a situation where the deadline is very close, and in front of you is a mountain of assignments.
Additionally, easy access to test answers and solutions allows unscrupulous students to start cheating. On thematic public pages on social networks, it is straightforward to find ready-made solutions for any problem, and, barely realizing this fact, some students stop solving problems on their own. This approach may even improve academic performance in the short term but can be detrimental to the educational career in the long distance.
How to Use Social Media Properly
Social media unlocks more educational possibilities. Students need to learn how to work remotely to be digitally literate and prepared for future employment since online classes and remote jobs are becoming the standard. From making announcements to streaming live lectures, social media platforms provide a lot of help to teachers. Additionally, platforms can be used to connect with keynote speakers in Dubai for special educational events and lectures.
Facebook Groups, Instagram Live, YouTube Live, and LinkedIn Live are some tools teachers can use to broadcast class lectures online and make education more accessible. There are alternatives to attending in person, such as participating online or reviewing material at a later time. Students who are visually impaired, non-native speakers, or who are deaf or hard of hearing can benefit from adding live captions. Instagram and YouTube, among others, let users record live feeds, which students can use as study aids leading up to final exams.
X is an excellent choice for sending pupils timely notifications and reminders. To encourage critical thinking, use X threads to provide materials such as practice exams, unique points of view, or quotations that make you think. Using hashtags, you may identify particular conversations or chats with special guests.
Blogs are another fantastic way to use social media in the classroom. Students can share links to the class blog on other social media platforms. A student applying for an internship or employment could use LinkedIn to showcase a photo from their visual essay. Assigning blogs throughout the semester can enhance students’ critical thinking and ability to write concisely.
Get your students to use Instagram as a narrative tool by giving them class profiles that they may use to share photographs and graphics (and then remove them after the semester is done, if they want). This is an excellent strategy for classes that rely heavily on visuals: Pose the challenge of developing a fake brand campaign to the social media marketing class or have the photojournalism students publish essays.
The Bottom Line
To lessen the impact of social media addiction on students’ mental health and academic achievement, teachers should stress the need to set limits and make offline activities a priority. To further promote a healthy digital environment, it is necessary to encourage open communication and provide support mechanisms for students who are dealing with mental health difficulties or cyberbullying.
Finally, there is no denying the impact of social media on students, both positively and negatively. There are chances for learning and connection, but there are also obstacles that must be carefully navigated. Students can benefit from social media while ensuring their safety and academic achievement through promoting digital literacy, ethical usage, and supportive environments.
